1 . Shinrin-yoku means “forest bathing”. Forest bathing doesn't mean you take a bath in the forest; rather, you simply go for a walk in the woods or a city park, where youslackenby using all your senses to experience nature.
Yoshifumi Miyazaki, from Chiba University, is among a growing number of scientists who have begun studying the science behind the effects of nature on human health. In his bookShinrin-yoku: The Japanese Art of Forest Bathing.Miyazaki explains the techniques of forest bathing.
Miyazaki has an interesting theory about why shinrin-yoku is so effective. He points out that for more than 99.99% of the time, humans have lived in a natural environment. In fact, in 1800, only 3% of the world's population lived in cities, and by 2016, this figure reached 54%. This is only going to get worse; officials predict that by 2050, 66% will live in cities.
This suggests we live in our modern society with bodies that are still used to the natural environment, he writes in the book, because “genes cannot change over just a few hundred years". The science behind the research studies he presents in the book makes a convincing case that forest bathing is an effective method for reducing stress in today's world.
Now city planners are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of nature and are creating new kinds of “parks” out of empty spaces. There're also more city gardens where people can grow vegetables. For kids, kitchen gardens in schools are becoming popular. As Miyazaki stresses, you don't have to find a formal park or garden to practice shinrin-yoku. Instead, you can enjoy the effects of nature wherever there're plants.
Better yet, he says, we can bring nature closer to where we spend most of our time. Miyazaki's research has shown that just increasing the amount of plants in a room can affect the relaxation benefits of the room. What's more, even when people simply look at flowers, their bodies relax and stress levels decrease.
1. What does the underlined word in Paragraph 1 mean?| A．Behave. | B．Entertain. | C．Sleep. | D．Relax. |
| A．By giving examples. | B．By listing figures. |
| C．By making remarks. | D．By presenting research findings. |
| A．Human genes can change easily. | B．Nature is part of the modern society. |
| C．Human body can integrate into nature. | D．People can always get excited in nature. |
| A．It is easy to operate. | B．It is meant for gardeners. |
| C．It is unaffordable in the city. | D．It is inconvenient to practice. |
1. What’s getting less and less these days according to the talk?
| A．Empty land. | B．Garbage. | C．Water. |
| A．Burying it. |
| B．Sending it out of our planet. |
| C．Using it as an energy source. |
| A．It is hardly ever done. |
| B．It causes air pollution. |
| C．It is useless for hard materials. |
3 . Humans produce 300 million tons of plastic waste every year -which is roughly equivalent (相当于) to the total weight of all humans living right now. But a new discovery offers hope, and could improve the way we deal with plastic.
Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have designed a plastic that can be recycled (回收) over and over again, and turned into new materials of any color, shape, or form. They are calling it polydiketoenamine or PDK, and this new plastic can be broken apart all the way down to the molecular (分子的) level.
Brett Helms, the staff scientist at the Berkeley Lab who led the research, told ABC News that the new discovery “could significantly reduce the leakage (泄漏) of plastics into the environment.”
“That broken black watchband you threw in the rubbish could find new life as a computer keyboard if it’s made with our PDK plastics”, Helms said.
Many plastics used today were made with chemicals that make them stronger, but these chemicals can also make it more difficult to fully recycle the material or recycle them repeatedly. Over time, researchers say, even ‘recyclable’ plastics may end up in a landfill.
The Berkeley Lab says these types of chemicals had previously prevented plastic from achieving “the holy grail of recycling,” and that PDK plastic might be the answer.
“If these factories were designed to recycle or upcycle PDK and related plastics, then we would be able to more effectively remove plastic from landfills and the oceans,” Helms said.
Researchers say the next plan is to develop PDK plastics to use in cloth, building materials, and 3D printing.
The researcher’s findings are published in full in Nature Chemistry.
1. What is the clear advantage of PDK plastics over many plastics used today?| A．PDK plastics are light. |
| B．PDK plastics are strong. |
| C．PDK plastics can be recycled repeatedly. |
| D．PDK plastics are used the most widely in the world. |
| A．is useless | B．can be recycled |
| C．can be used again | D．is not made with PDK plastics |
| A．the final goal | B．the new discovery |
| C．the bad condition | D．serious pollution |
| A．Publish their findings. | B．Find new ways to use PDK plastics. |
| C．Sell their new discovery. | D．Produce more PDK plastics. |
1.简述城市空气污染的危害；
2.提出解决该问题的建议:
(1)尽量少开车；(2)不随地扔垃圾；(3)关闭一些工厂；……
3.发出号召。
注意:1.词数:100左右；
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3.开头与结尾已为你写好，但不计入总词数。
Dear teachers and students，
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Thank you!
The Student's Union
The Salton Sea in California is actually a salty inland lake. The level of salt in the lake’s water—what scientists call its salinity—has been increasing steadily for years because the lake’s water is evaporating (蒸发) faster than it is being replaced by rainfall or rivers. If this continues, the lake’s water will soon become so salty that the lake will be unable to support fish and bird populations. The lake would then become a dead zone. Fortunately, there are several ways to change this situation that is threatening the lake’s health.
One choice is direct removal of salt from the lake’s water in special machines. Water from the lake would be forced into the machine and heated. This would cause the water to evaporate into steam, while salt and other materials dissolved (溶解) in the water would be left behind. The steam would then be cooled down and returned to the lake as salt-free water. Gradually, the high salt levels would be reduced and the lake’s overall health would be restored.
Another possible solution is to make the salt level weaker in the lake with water from the ocean. Since water in the Pacific Ocean is 20 percent less salty than water in the lake, bringing ocean water into the lake would decrease the lake’s salinity. The ocean water could be delivered through pipelines or canals.
Yet another solution would be to control the lake’s salinity by building walls to divide the lake into several parts. In the smaller parts, salinity would be allowed to increase. However, in the main and largest part, salinity would be reduced and controlled by directing all the freshwater from small rivers in the area to flow into that main part of the lake.
1. What’s the purpose of solving the salinity of the Salton Sea?| A．To improve the health of the Salton Sea. |
| B．To support the water supply of people in California. |
| C．To keep the environment of the Pacific Ocean. |
| D．To do scientific researches of the Salton Sea. |
| A．cool down the water | B．mix the materials |
| C．heat the lake water | D．divide the lake |
| A．The Pacific Ocean is more salty than water in the lake. |
| B．There’s no conclusion of the best solution to salinity. |
| C．Heating the water would leave salt in water. |
| D．If divided, the largest part of the lake is allowed to keep high salt level. |
| A．The ways to solve salinity of the Salton Sea. |
| B．The debate on solutions to salinity. |
| C．The difficulties of solving salinity of the Salton Sea. |
| D．The reason for the increase of salinity of the Salton Sea. |
6 . Sasha Olsen, a fourth-grader at Pine Crest School in Fort Lauderdale, is working on releasing a book this summer to illustrate how the state of the oceans affects children.
The 10-year old went on a trip last summer with her family to Vietnam and Japan. She was horrified at the ocean’s pollution levels and dying sea animals. Back home she grew even more disturbed learning about the ocean conditions in South Florida. She sought the help of her cousin Narmina Aliyev. Together, they started a nonprofit, Iwantmyoceanback, in October.
Originally, the group started small, with friends coming together on the weekends to clean the beaches in Bal Harbour. Recently, however, it has hosted events to raise funds for beach cleanups and donate to conservation groups. The nonprofit is also trying to broaden its base by tapping into YouTube and other social media.
Sasha has started a YouTube channel where she posts videos from events and has begun a web series called Table Talks. In it, she interviews people from different professions about the oceans. After the interview, she and her guest will create a painting, signed by the guest, that will be auctioned (拍卖) off to raise money to donate to conservation-based organizations.
Jencarlos Canela, a popular Cuban American singer and telenovela star, was one of Iwantmyoceanback’s first followers and Sasha’s first guest. Canela, who has 3.4 million followers on Instagram, posted about the experience. “Sasha, you can count on me from now on for anything and congratulations on the work you’re doing to keep our oceans clean. You are so special and very talented!” he wrote.
Sasha and Aliyev hope to extend their work to neighboring cities such as Hollywood and Miami Beach. “We really want to make ourselves visible and accessible to all,” said Aliyev, the nonprofit’s vice president.
1. What do we know about Iwantmyoceanback?| A．It was set up by Sasha’s cousin. |
| B．It aims at ocean protection. |
| C．It was inspired by Sasha’s domestic travel. |
| D．It organizes cleanup activities in the neighborhood. |
| A．By calling on friends and relatives to donate. |
| B．By starting a YouTube channel and Table Talks. |
| C．By interviewing people from different professions. |
| D．By selling paintings created and signed by her guests. |
| A．He is proud of being Sasha’s first guest. |
| B．He is one of Iwantmyoceanback’s first followers. |
| C．He is willing to make contributions to Sasha’s project. |
| D．His followers on Instagram posted about their cleanup experiences. |
| A．Sasha: a popular girl on the social media |
| B．Fourth-graders: devoted to beach cleanups |
| C．A 10-year old: making a difference to a better beach |
| D．A 10-year old: working on releasing a book this summer |
7 . Bornholm is a Danish island in the southern part of the Baltic Sea. At only 588 square kilometers, the island is home to about 40,000 people and welcomes around 600,000 visitors each year. The island is known for its sunny weather, round churches and rocky sea cliffs. But soon it hopes to make history for its lack of trash (垃圾).
Bornholm's only waste incineration (焚烧) plant is on its last legs, so instead of replacing it, the island has come up with another plan. "In 2032 there'll be no more waste on Bornholm," the island's waste management company announced. "All unwanted items are resources that can be recycled to the benefit of the entire community. "
The government doesn't yet know all the specifics of how the plan will work, but officials have laid out a basic outline. For example, they fancy citizens sorting waste into easily recyclable items such as metal, plastic, glass, paper and cardboard, and then plan to add new items such as fishing nets, insulation materials and more plastics to the recycling system. Organic waste, as well as garden and park waste, will be changed into energy, and the nutrient-rich waste from energy recovery will be used as fertilizer in fields, gardens and parks on the island.
Residents will be encouraged to make use of the sharing economy, lending and borrowing goods and services. They'll reuse everything from furniture to children's clothing, and businesses will repair a large number of items from bicycles to kitchen appliances. And elementary school students will be educated as "resource heroes" with practical, hands-on lessons about waste, resources, the environment and nature.
"Yet, in the waste area we were falling behind, so it was important for us to move ahead," Anne Thomas, the deputy mayor of Bornholm, tells National Geographic.
1. What do we know about Bornholm？| A．It is a large island surrounded by sea. | B．It is a small beautiful tourist attraction. |
| C．It used to be a place filled with rubbish. | D．It is famous mainly for its cultural buildings. |
| A．Students will receive awards for protecting the environment. |
| B．The trash will be handled quickly and effectively. |
| C．Everything will be recycled, repaired or reused. |
| D．People will feed on nothing but organic food. |
| A．Encouraging trash-free lifestyle. | B．Improving waste management. |
| C．Developing the local economy. | D．Appreciating the nature. |
| A．A biology textbook. | B．A food brochure. |
| C．A geography magazine. | D．A research report. |
8 . Have you ever heard of e-waste(electric waste,电子垃圾), which can be produced every day? How do you deal with your computers, MP4 players and mobile phones when they’re broken or you want a new one?
Most people just throw them away. With the development of electric industry, e-waste pollution has become a serious problem. According to the United Nations, in 2014, people around the world produced 41.8 million tons of e-waste and only recycled 6.5 million tons. The US was the biggest waster, producing 7.1 million tons. China came second, with 6 million tons.
It’s important to pay attention to e-waste. It can either be valuable or harmful, depending on how we deal with it. E-waste is a valuable urban mine（城市矿藏）. The value of the metals, like gold and silver in the waste around the world, is amazing. And the metals can be reused. But if people throw them away, the toxic chemicals can get into the earth or air, affecting the environment and people’s health.
Apple, for example, now recycle people’s used products in China when they are buying new ones. The company will test and repair the used ones and sell them at lower prices. To help reduce e-waste, we can also take computers and phones to see if companies offer recycling programs.
1. Which country produced most e-waste according to the United Nations?| A．America. | B．China. |
| C．Japan. | D．Australia |
| A．protect | B．influence |
| C．improve | D．pollute |
| A．prove that e-waste is useless. |
| B．encourage people to buy more electronic products. |
| C．advise people to deal with e-waste properly to reduce pollution. |
| D．Tell us science and technology is developing rapidly. |
9 . Every year, young, talented, and ambitious nature conservationists from all over the world participate in the presentation of the Future For Nature Award, an honorable international award.
The Future For Nature aims to:
• Reward and fund individuals for their outstanding efforts in wildlife protection.
• Encourage winners to sustain their dedicated work.
• Help winners to raise their profiles, extend their professional network and strengthen their funding basis.
Benefits
• The winners each receive 50,000 euros and may make their own decision to spend the money in the service of nature conservation.
• FFN offers the winners a platform and brings their stories to the attention of conservationists, financiers and a wide audience.
• FFN offers the opportunity to meet people with the same interest and continue to learn with each other.
Qualifications
The candidate:
• Must be born on or after the 31st May 1988 and before the 28th of August 2005.
• Is able to explain his/her conservation work in fluent English.
• Has achieved substantial and long-term benefits to the conservation status of one or more animal or plant species.
Additional Remarks
From all applications, 6 to 10 nominees will be selected for the 2025 Future For Nature Awards. These applicants will be asked to provide additional information, which will be used to select the final Awardees. Ultimately, three inspiring wildlife heroes are selected as the winners.
Application Process: Apply online through the Apply Now link.
Application Deadline: 28th August, 2024
1. What is the aim of the Future For Nature Award?| A．To raise funds for nature conservation projects. |
| B．To inspire conservation efforts of young talents. |
| C．To provide training opportunities for young conservationists. |
| D．To create a platform for conservationists to share their stories. |
| A．consult top specialists | B．benefit the local community |
| C．meet the like-minded people | D．promote self-created platforms |
| A．Meeting the age limit. | B．Applying via mail by the deadline. |
| C．Submitting the application in English. | D．Providing additional personal information. |
阅读下面短文，简要回答所给问题。
The first Earth Day was in 1970. People were beginning to worry about what we were doing to our environment. So they set up Earth Day to tell everyone about their worries.
In 2007 organizers over 150 countries planned over 4,000 big events. But Earth Day is not just about marches(游行) and big events. In the week around Earth Day (22 April) there were many thousands of smaller, local events. These events dealt with environmental problems in the neighborhood. The World Wide Fund for Nature made a list of 5 things that each person could do to save the environment.
*Don't leave the tap running.
*Turn off lights when you leave a room.
*Turn off your computer every night.
*Wash your clothes, and yourself, in warm or cold water, not hot water.
*Dishwashers use as little water as possible. If we all do at least 20 of these all the time, we can make a big difference.
1. What is the purpose for people to set up Earth Day?
2. When is Earth Day?
3. What should people do when the water keeps running from a tap?
4. Does the word “dishwashers” mean “machines for washing dishes”?
5. Besides the five, what else can you do to save our environment? (One example is OK.)
